The world's largest floating book fair in Abu Dhabi

[Source: My Marketing, Advertising & Creativity blog]

Abu Dhabi, 29 January 2006: Book lovers in Abu Dhabi are heading for the sea. The world’s largest floating book fair on board the MV Doulos beckons…

The MV Doulos, currently docked at the Abu Dhabi Free Port, is recognised in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s oldest active ocean-going passenger ship. It’s also a ‘global village’ of sorts with more than 300 crew members from over 40 nationalities. The ship’s name ‘Doulos’ means ‘to serve’ in Greek. Its mission is “bringing knowledge, help and hope” to communities it visits on its trips around the world.

The 130-metre long towering vessel is a treasure house of books with a stock of half a million books covering literature, sports, cookery, hobbies, geography, health, and management. These books are on sale at good prices. All one has to do is drive up and board the Doulos anchored at Abu Dhabi Free Port.

Getting to the Doulos is easy. From the Abu Dhabi city centre, a taxi would cost around Dhs 5 to the Free Port (Mina). The Doulos is anchored beyond Mina Mall. Yellow street signs with the ship’s name on it start from the Iranian market at the port leading drivers to the port entrance where you can park and walk up to the ship’s entry point. Rounded stairs that can scare the hell out of high-heeled visitors take you on board the ship. The warm welcoming smiles of the crew members at the reception will make you dismiss the shaky feeling of being afloat.

A few more stairs and ship alleys will lead you to the upper level of the Doulos to the book fair no one in Abu Dhabi wants to miss. Here you will find shelves and more shelves stacked with novels, dictionaries, atlases, children’s books, and more. But, if like me, you are visiting at a peak time, moving through these shelves packed with the Abu Dhabi bookworms, requires patience. Being slim (like me) helps as well. People, I have seen, aren’t just looking at the books and browsing through, they are buying them in basket-fulls.

Why? Because some of the titles are such great bargains. And the currency conversion is so much fun too. Books are prices in units, where 100 units = 7 dirhams. Most books I liked seemed to be 200 units = 14 dirhams.

Like BBC correspondent John Simpson’s book ‘News From No Man’s Land’. My sister had been wanting to buy it for quite some time. Its selling price at Doulos is 200 units = 14 dirhams, far below the cover price. We bought two copies.

Considering that this ship is the only one of its kind in the world, I bought a souvenir mug too, just 150 units = 10.50 dirhams. Mugs are always good things to have for coffee-addicts like me.
A trip to the Doulos is a nice way to spend some time away from the city. The crew members are very friendly. You can share a some warm moments with volunteers from around the world who have chosen to dedicate two years of their life, or more, going around the world building bridges of understanding.

I have paid two visits to the Doulos, and could perhaps steal another quick one before they move on to their next destination on 4 February. Would post more about the ship, Insha Allah. Including an interview with a crew member. Watch this space.

The ship would be at Abu Dhabi Free Port till 4 February, Saturday. Entry is free. Children under 16 need to be accompanied by an adult (I don’t think little children can make it to the Mina on their own anyway). Visiting times are from 1 noon to 11 pm for the general public and ladies-only entry is on Monday and Wednesday mornings from 10 am to 1 noon.